The compound 2-bromo-4-methylphenol was identified as being responsible
for a “chemical (phenolic)”
taint in brine-salted Gouda cheese manufactured over a 3 month period.
The concentration on the
surface of cheese manufactured at the beginning of the period was
determined to be between 14
and 25 μg/kg (ppb) decreasing to between 1 and 2 μg/kg at the end.
It was proposed that
4-methylphenol and active bromine could be the precursors.
Attention focused on the brine, which
was shown to be a source of 4-methylphenol and a potential source of
bromine. Irradiation of the
brine with UV light and dosing with sodium hypochlorite solution were
considered to be important
factors in generating active bromine. Experiments, carried out in
model systems, demonstrated
that 2-bromo-4-methylphenol could be generated from sodium bromide and
4-methylphenol in the
presence of either UV light or sodium hypochlorite, but not in their
absence.
Keywords: Chemical taint; Gouda cheese; brine salting taint;
2-bromo-4-methylphenol
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.